“You’re tutoring a genius like that?” I asked incredulously.
He walked beside me, his mouth widening into a grin. “Ouch.”
“Sorry,” I said with a laugh. “I didn’t mean it like that—”
“Then how exactly did you mean it?” He stopped in front of the elevator but didn’t hit the button.
Neither did I. “I just can’t believe you’re hot and smart. I mean, how often does that happen?” I didn’t think twice about what I said because there was no way Dex was oblivious to all his qualities. He probably had his pick of any woman he wanted, anytime.
His grin widened, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “You think I’m hot?”
I rolled my eyes. “Let’s not do this—”
“Not do what?”
“Where I pretend I don’t notice how handsome you are, and you pretend you aren’t aware of your looks. Let’s just cut the shit, alright. I also think Carrie is hot. It’s not rocket science to know someone is attractive.”
“Okay, hold up.” He raised his hand to silence me then held up a finger. “One, you think I’m hot.” He held up a second finger. “And two, you think Carrie is hot. What are you doing to me?”
I rolled my eyes again, knowing he was joking.
“I know Carrie pretty well, so I could probably talk you up to her if you want…”
“Shut up.” I turned to hit the button on the wall. “You know what I mean.”
“Come on, you can’t blame a guy for trying.”
I noticed that he didn’t suggest the two of us get together, and I felt a bit of disappointment there. He was charming and flirted sometimes, but he never seemed interested in doing something about it. “And you’re nice too. I’ve never met a hot guy who was also nice.”
He shrugged off the compliment before he crossed his arms over his chest. “I guess I’m a people person.”
“Evidently.” I listened to the mechanisms in the shaft as the elevator moved to where we were.
He didn’t seem to take my compliments seriously, like he understood I was just being candid and nice and not actually hitting on him. Someone like him should be cocky and self-absorbed, but he seemed totally different from the other guys I knew of his caliber. They preferred to talk about themselves all the time, but Dex had an actual conversation with you, and he seemed down-to-earth. “Where were you?”
“42A.”
“Uh, Jason,” he said with a slight nod. “How’s he doing?”
“He seems pretty down.”
“Yeah.” He shook his head. “Poor guy. He’s a good dude. Doesn’t deserve it.”
“He told me he hopes his wife comes back because he still loves her. I think he deserves better, but I didn’t tell him that.”
He turned his head to look at the elevator doors even though they hadn’t opened yet.
“So, you’re anti-marriage?” I hadn’t forgotten his outburst a few weeks ago. It had been such a strange thing to say, especially coming from him, a positive person.
He turned back to me, his expression slightly hard. “Why do you say that?”
He really had no idea? “Uh, because of what you said at the party.”
The doors opened, and Dex stepped inside. He faced the doors and crossed his arms over his chest, saying nothing. His mood was definitely down after I asked the question, and the ride to the lobby was spent in tense silence.
Now I regretted asking him. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. None of my business.” I faced forward again, hating the fact that I might have jeopardized my closest relationship at work. I never would have asked something like that if he hadn’t mentioned it in the first place.
The doors opened to face the exit to the street, but he didn’t step out. “I’m not anti-marriage. I think marriage is a beautiful thing for the people who are meant to have it. But not all people are meant for it—and I’m one of those people.”
9
Dex
I sat at my desk beside my mom, reading the SAT book on my device that I was using to instruct Max. The kid was smart, had all the knowledge to do well, but I needed to teach him to the test. Unfortunately, the exam wasn’t a true test of knowledge, and you had to learn it like it was a whole discipline.
Mom worked on the computer. “All of the clients are talking about Sicily.”
I didn’t pull my eyes away from the screen. “Yeah?”
“They all really like her.”
“She’s pretty cool.”
“She dragged her feet for a while, but once she jumped in headfirst, she did well. It was exactly what I expected.”
I looked up and turned to my mother. “Yes, you’re a great judge of character…if you’re fishing for a compliment.”
She chuckled. “I’m not. I’m just happy that I was right. Matt really likes her too. Jason told me that she’s delightful. The clients seem to enjoy her company whenever they run into her. That’s usually the hardest part, learning when to engage and when to leave them alone, but she nailed it.”